Listed!

Well, it's not officially on the MLS yet (later today!) but there is a sign in the front yard and a lock box on the door, and it's feeling official. Wow, can't believe we are at this point!

So, now I can say when people ask, "when are you moving?": "Within 90 days!"

We are hoping, praying, begging, and pleading that our house sells during that 90 days. It's better for everyone that way - Doug gets on the job faster, we get the best deal financially, we can get settled and in our new area before the nastiest weather of the year hits Louisiana (I HATE the summer here).

We'll lose money, we are well aware of that. But it's kind of like that gaping wound that you let gush and gush...at some point you just have to say STOP! It's either let it keep gushing until you've lost not $40,000 but $60,000 - or you've stayed in Louisiana for 15 years and are finally right-side-up and can sell; or, you just bite the bullet, take the hit, get a good deal in Michigan, and chalk it up to a learning experience. It's a chunk of money that we don't really have, but it's something we are determined to overcome and move on with life. Michigan feels right to us, like a great place to raise our kids. We have houses we like there, we have friends and family there, it seems like more of a fit for us in many ways. We are sad to leave in some ways, but when you take all of the pros and cons, even losing the money on the house, it's still the best thing for our family.

We have a great little house. Nothing wrong with the house at all, other than we bought right after Katrina when prices were high, and this was BY FAR the best option for us at the time even though we knew it was high-priced. Now we're eating that a bit, but still I love this house and wouldn't have done it differently in the end. So here's my sales pitch: 3 bd, 2 bath, all wood and tile, 7 years old, great neighborhood, best school district around, has been lovingly maintained and cared for. It's a very cute house. We have loved it and are ready to move on.

Here's to a sale!